00:06Even before Harish Rana's passive euthanasia case, Mumbai cars had already begun applying
00:11for a living will.
00:12These registrations come as advanced medical directives or living bills, documents that
00:18let individuals state in advance what treatment they would accept or refuse if they can no
00:22longer communicate.
00:23The move follows a January 24, 2023 directive by the Supreme Court of India, making it
00:29mandatory for local authorities to accept and manage such directives.
00:33In Mumbai, the BMC has put a system in place.
00:36Medical officers of health across all 24 wards have been appointed custodians.
00:40Applicants must submit notarized documents at ward offices.
00:43So far, 85 applications have been received.
00:53A living will outlines a person's choices on life-sustaining treatment in cases of severe
00:58illness, accidents or unconscious states.
01:00But the process is still evolving.
01:03The Maharashtra government is working on an online portal to simplify registration and ensure
01:07faster access in emergencies.
01:22Dr. Nikhil Datar, among the first in India to notarize a living will in 2023, says progress
01:27remains uneven.
01:29While Maharashtra has appointed custodians, digitization is still pending and many states haven't even begun.
01:35For now, Mumbai remains one of the few places where this process is taking shape.
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